


lonely hearts, violent hearts

by crookedspoon



Series: Weekend Feeling [12]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Community: 1-million-words, Gen, News Media, Revenge, Season/Series 03 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 14:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3732538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crookedspoon/pseuds/crookedspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The outcome of Lawton's latest mission is all over the news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	lonely hearts, violent hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 1mw's [Weekend Challenge](http://1-million-words.livejournal.com/1145639.html?thread=11802663#t11802663). Can be read as a sequel to [our murmured dawn conspiracies](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2679980). Spoilers for s03e17.

Freedom is something fine. The possiblity of taking a shower without guards in the back is worth being on the run for alone. Harley's relishing every second of it.

Stepping out of the shower, she hears a familiar name on TV. Of course she thinks she must have misheard, or that the guy in question's not the one she has in mind. After all, he's locked up in a maximum security facility and there's no way he'd be on the news. Still, she stops toweling her hair in favor of turning up the volume.

_"—a former sniper for the United States Army. Lawton was discharged five years ago and since then has been linked to numerous terrorist organizations. Lawton died as a result of an explosion intended for a group of hostages, including Senator Joseph Cray—"_

The remote clatters to the floor. There it is, his mugshot, unmistakable. What had he been doing in Kasnia? Stupid question. Waller sent him there. But why the news item? Why make him out to be a terrorist? Sure, he looks the type, with his cranky face and sourpuss attitude, and sure, he did have ties to terrorist organizations, but how would he renew them from inside A.R.G.U.S.? And above all, why? He earns enough money through the Squad.

Harley's thoughts race through all the possibilities that would make sense in the present case, if only so she could go on ignoring this one tidbit she'd rather not be thinking about. Lawton _died_ – the news anchor made sure to emphasize the word, so that it could penetrate the wall of Harley's denial.

Lawton couldn't be dead. There's no talk of a body, and explosions are just too convenient. No, without a body, she wouldn't believe a word of it. She didn't believe the rumors of her puddin's death, so why would she believe this one? Because it's on the news? That's all publicity for this Cray person. Harley sees it now.

Waller must be behind this. She sent him to Kasnia, to his suposed death. That was likely the plan from the start. It's not called Suicide Squad for nothing. They're the bad guys, no harm done when they die. Harley's known it would end this way, so why does it bother her so much? Why does she care? Did she expect a happier ending? As if there were a happier ending than death. It's all people like her, like Lawton, can hope for to make it out of the game once and for all.

Harley sinks down onto the bed, towel sliding down her naked back. The same sense of loneliness creeps up on her as when her puddin' gave her the slip. Does she have something about herself that makes other people abandon her? It doesn't matter that this time she left Lawton and the other inmates behind when she got out – after all, she left on a mission and expected to return once it was over and she'd achieved her own goal besides. That seemed so long ago now, and she's still no closer to her objective.

Rage seethes at the edges of her consciousness, threatening to take over. Someone would have to pay for this, for Lawton, for the secrets, the lies, for her feelings of abandonment and inadequacy. She'd love to wring her puddin's neck for all of this – half of it is his fault anyway – but he's not around and she has yet to dig up any intel. 

Next on the list would be Waller. Harley couldn't go wrong there. That bitch is as guilty as they come. But, how to go about it? With her status as a fugitive, she could hardly just waltz up to her and stick a knife in her throat. She'd have to talk to Lyla about that – she's the one who sent her on this undercover mission, which either means Waller had approved the staged escape to save face in front of the media, or Lyla disapproves of the way things are run and provided Harley with this opportunity herself. Which in turn means she could be persuaded to let Harley close to Waller. Just for a chat, really.

However, going after Waller would mean giving up on her current objective, and while she could care less about doing the dirty work for the Squad, she really wanted to squeeze the Dollmaker for all he's worth. That scumbag son of a bitch – the real one, not the one they've killed – is said to be the last person who's seen her puddin' alive. He has to know something. And if she goes back to Waller now, she'd lose her chance of finding out.

Harley scrubs her face in frustration. What is she supposed to do now? That rage inside her needs to burn something, and fast. But nothing's in reach. None of the Dollmaker's known bases of operation have turned out anything and she's running out of options. There are some leads that point back towards Gotham, but Harley's not keen to follow them just yet. Gotham's a pit you don't crawl out of so soon. And right now, her fist is itching to punch Waller in the face.

Her puddin' can wait if he's not dead yet, and if he is, he can rot for all she cares. She has more important people to kill first.


End file.
